When Concord philosopher-poet Ralph Waldo Emerson penned these profound words two centuries ago, he might have had someone like radio broadcast talent Dick Golden in mind.

Over an excessively long career in print, radio and TV broadcasting (including The Boston Post, UPI, NBC-TV/NYC, WBZ-TV/4 and WCVB-T/5 of Boston, and WFCC-FM of Cape Cod) – which spans five decades – I have developed an abiding respect for “talent-with-integrity.”

Among the radio personalities I have known, there are two atop that so-named list – one unfortunately passed away last year, while the other fortunately passed through this town last Saturday. I am privileged to have had both as friends.

The former was the host of WHDH Radio’s The Jess Cain Show, the jewel in the crown of Boston radio from 1957 to 1991.

The latter is a 35-year legend in Cape radio who returned to his beloved “hometown” last Saturday to highlight the fifth annual Cape Cod Radio Conference at Cape Cod Community College. His name: Dick Golden.

On that occasion, I had the pleasure of renewing an acquaintance with Richard that dates back some 20-plus years.

In fact, in 1986, I tried to cajole/persuade/pry Dick Golden from WQRC, the then-locally owned Hyannis radio station he led to prominence and dominance in the 1970s Cape radio market.

I had just been awarded authority from the Federal Communications Commission to construct a 50,000-watt FM station in Chatham. The following year WFCC/107.5 went on the air, with an unduplicated format of classical and American music (like jazz and big band), news, commentary, community affairs, and “specialty” programming (the Met and local opera, Broadway musicals and, locally, on-site ensemble, symphonic performances and drama).

But Richard remained steadfastly loyal to QRC.

Michael Gross, Cape Cod Community College’s director of communications and conference moderator (for which he should be commended), engaged Golden in an extensive, on-stage conversation. There were great sound-bytes, including personal best-wishes, thanks, and “promos” from Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra.

At one point in the conversation, Gross asked Golden for his response to the question (admittedly mine): “With all the commercial radio stations on Cape Cod now being owned by multiple-radio conglomerates – all of which are outside Massachusetts – how is possible to have a Cape radio station be truly a ‘voice of the Cape community?’”

To which he thoughtfully replied, “it is impossible” to have important community-relevant decisions in the vacuum of an absentee ownership. “They cannot be made in Philadelphia, New Jersey, or Cincinnati,” he said.

But never once did Dick Golden make reference to the manner with which WQRC (in 2005, consumed by Baltimore-based radio conglomerate Sandab Communications), disbanded the American music, jazz-big band programs/personality interviews Golden had been developing and presenting on that station since 1972. The “Golden touch” of knowledge, creativity and consideration for the listener was dissolved into formula-broadcast insipidness!

Richard survived their indignity – and then some. He has moved on to a well-deserved dual career in higher education, as George Washington University’s special assistant for broadcast operations and special events, and in his beloved on-air broadcasting as host of two weekly XM/Sirius satellite programs including American Jazz in association with the John F, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Smithsonian Associates. Additionally, he does a three-a-week XM broadcast with his longtime friend, the talentedly ageless Tony Bennett.

Last year, when I was writing a tribute piece on Jess Cain, I called Richard in Washington, to ask if he would like to make a comment about Jess. His response: “It always was a thrill to talk to him about the evolution of radio – from the great days of local personalities, into the constricting music formats, and then into the era of the ‘shock jocks’ – who really made both of us feel embarrassed to be in the same profession.”

Richard finished up our Cain reminiscences with this marvelous conclusion: “Jess now joins (Boston broadcasters) Bill Marlowe, Norm Nathan and Carl DeSuze on the Mount Rushmore of local radio virtuosity!”

To which I would only add: There’s room on that mount for Dick Golden, too – a respectful professional, a gentleman who never insulted his guests, or his listeners, and a talent possessed of what Emerson called that “profound sincerity!”